ENTOMOLOGIA HELLENICA 17 (2007-2008): 28-33

The scale insect Dynaspidiotus abietis (Schrank) on Abies cephalonica ()

G. J. STATHAS

Technological Educational Institute of Kalamata, School of Agricultural Technology Department of Crop Production, Laboratory of Agricultural Entomology and Zoology, 24100 Antikalamos, Greece, ([email protected])

ABSTRACT

Data on phenology and morphology of the scale insect Dynaspidiotus abietis (Schrank) (Hemiptera: Diaspididae), found on Abies cephalonica (Pinaceae) on mount Taygetos (Peloponnesus - southern Greece), are presented. The species is biparental and oviparous. During this study (June 2004 – August 2006) D. abietis completed one generation per year. It overwintered as mated pre-ovipositing female adult. Ovipositions were recorded from May to July. The majority of the hatches of the crawlers were observed in June. Predated individuals of the scale which were found during the study period were attributed to the presence of the predator Chilocorus bipustulatus (L.) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae).

Introduction belonging to the family Coccidae, such as Physokermes hemicryphus (Dalm.), P. There are many species belonging to picae Sch., Eulecanium sericeum (Lind.) family Diaspididae that infest fir trees in and Nemolecanium graniformis (Wünn), Europe. Major species include: Chionaspis which were found on Abies cephalonica austriaca Lindinger, Diaspidiotus Loud. and A. borisii-regis Mattf., as well ostreaeformis (Curtis), Dynaspidiotus as Marchalina hellenica (Gennadius) abieticola (Koroneos), D. abietis (Margarodidae), are regarded as more (Schrank), Fiorinia japonica Luwana, important and have been studied mainly Lepidosaphes juniperi Lindinger, L. due to them excreting honeydews, on newsteadi (Šulc), Leucaspis lowi Colvée, which bees are fed (Santas 1983, Santas L. pini (Hartig), Parlatoria parlatoriae 1991, Stathas, 2001). (Šulc) and Unaspidiotus corticispini The scale insect Dynaspidiotus abietis (Lindinger) (Ben-Dov 2006). (Schrank) (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) (the Of the aforementioned species, D. hemlock scale) is a species of Nearctic and ostreaeformis, D. abieticola, D. abietis, L. Palaearctic region. It has been recorded in juniperi, L. lowi and L. pini have been many European countries and in the previously reported in Greece Mediterranean basin (Balachowsky 1935, (Balachowsky 1932, 1950, Koroneos 1934, Pellizzari 1975, Kozár et al. 2004, Ben- Balachowsky et al. 1956, Soria et al. 2000, Dov 2006). It has been found to infest Ben-Dov 2006) but they are not considered more than 26 species of which as major pests, as they do not build up belong to the families: Aceraceae, populations. However, scale insects Cupressaceae, Pinaceae and Rosaceae (Ben-Dov 2006). In Greece, there is only STATHAS: Dynaspidiotus abietis on Abies cephalonica 29 one reference by Koroneos (1934), who studied in the area where it was found (in refers to this scale as Aspidiotus abietis northwestern part of the mountain (Schr.) Loew, on A. cephalonica on Taygetos) from June 2004 to August 2006. mountain Parnitha and Oeta (central Twenty samples consisting of branches Greece). 25cm long, were cut from 10 infested fir It is reported that D. abietis, trees that were located in a forest area overwinters in Germany as 2nd instar northeastern of County Dyrachi nymph and it completes one generation per (37º12΄18΄΄Ν, 22º13΄31΄΄Ε) in an altitude year (Schmutterer 1959). The parasitoids of 1080m and brought to the laboratory Aphytis abnormis, A. mytilaspidis, into plastic bags. The samples were Aspidiotiphagus citrinus, Coccophagus examined under binocular stereoscope and similis, Prospaltella aspidioticola, P. the number of each instar as well as the aurantii, P. gigas, P. leucaspidis, and number of the predated, parasitized and Pteroptrix dimidiata and the predator dead individuals on the needles were Chilocorus bipustulatus (L.) (Coleoptera: recorded. Coccinellidae) are referred to as natural The study of the morphology was made enemies of the scale (Kozstarab and Kozár on 9 male and 15 female adults of D. 1988). abietis. Although D. abietis was found in small The parasitized individuals of the scale populations on mount Taygetos in Greece were kept in the laboratory under and does not appear to be a serious pest of controlled conditions at 25ºC, 65% R.H. fir trees, population dynamics of D. abietis and under a photoperiod of 16:8 (L:D) on mount Taygetos are presented in the until the emergence of parasitoid adults. current study. The reason for undertaking The monitoring of the predators was done such a study was partly because there are by shaking branches of the infested trees no ecological data of this species in over a 1x1m cloth; species and numbers of Greece. In addition, as it has been predators (immature stages and adults) previously reported (Firempong 1982, fallen on the cloth were recorded. Biche and Sellami 1999) host species and Samplings were conducted every 15 days environmental conditions influence from April to September and once a month somatometrical features in scale insects. for the rest of the year.

Materials and Methods Results and Discussion

Dynaspidiotus abietis was found on fir Dynaspidiotus abietis was found to infest trees A. cephalonica in southern Greece, only needles of the fir trees, in low (Peloponnesus, mount Taygetos). The infestation levels. The scale cover of the author identified this species at the female adult has an elliptical shape settled Laboratory of Entomology & Agricultural along the needle of the fir . The Zoology of the Technological Institute of exuviae are located almost in the center of Kalamata. Identification was confirmed by the scale cover and have elliptical shape Dr Ferenc Kozár ( Protection too. The length of the scale cover is about Institute, Hungarian Academy of 2.4mm and its width which covers Sciences). Female adults of the scale were completely the width of the needle is about deposited to the collection of the 1.5mm. The color of the scale cover is ash Hungarian Academy of Sciences. It was – grey. The body of the female adult is 30 ENTOMOLOGIA HELLENICA 17 (2007-2008): 28-33 100

% 50 crawlers

0

100

% 50 1st instar

0

100

% 50 2nd instar

0

50

% male nymphae

0

100

% 50 preovipositing females

0 100

% 50 ovipositing females

0

30 max 20 oC 10 0 min

-10 June Dec June Dec Aug

2004 2005 2006 FIG. 1. Developmental stages of D. abietis (percentage composition) on fir trees and monthly average temperatures) from June 2004 to August 2006, on mount Taygetos. STATHAS: Dynaspidiotus abietis on Abies cephalonica 31 almost round – slightly pear shaped, its were found parasitized from an unidentified diameter is about 1.5mm and it has yellow endoparasitic larvae in May 2005. A number color. The scale cover of the male is more of endoparasite species has been recorded as elongated with a length of 1.5-1.7mm. well in other countries (Kozstarab and Kozár Similar dimensions have been reported 1988). for D. abietis (female scale cover: 1.8- Small numbers of individuals of the scale 2.1mm and male scale cover: 1.4-1.6mm) by were found destroyed by predators in June Balachowsky (In: Ben-Dov 2006). Silvestri 2005, July 2005 and May 2006 in (1920) reports smaller dimensions (female percentages that reached 2.1%, 1.4% and body length about 1.2mm and female scale 0.5% of the population of the scale, cover length about 1.5mm), but refers to the respectively. On infested branches of fir scale species as A. abietis found in Italy on trees, small numbers (1-4) of larvae and Pinus silvestris. Differences in dimensions adults of the predator C. bipustulatus (L.) can be attributed to different hosts. (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) were found in In Fig. 1, the percentage composition of June and July 2005 and May and August the D. abietis population during the study is 2006. presented. As shown, the scale completed The predated scales and the predators one generation per year and overwintered as were found almost at the same period mated preovipositing female. Ovipositing (except August 2006). From these females were recorded from 2nd week of observations, although it was not confirmed May to the beginning of July, while the in the laboratory, the presence of the hatches of the crawlers were recorded from predator could be related with D. abietis. the end of May to the beginning of July, The occasional presence of the predator during both years of this study. First instar could be partly explained from the low nymphs were recorded during July and 2nd infestation level on the fir trees. The action instar nymphs from August to October. of the C. bipustulatus on the D. abietis is From the above, it appears that D. abietis also reported in another study (Kozstarab completes one generation per year and and Kozár 1988). ovewinters as a preovipositing adult female. As shown in Fig. 1, the preoviposition period Acknowledgement was the longest stage of the scale’s life cycle. The presence of male nymphs during The author expresses his gratitude to Dr the period August – September and their Ferenc Kozár (Plant Protection Institute, absence during the next months indicates Hungarian Academy of Sciences) for that the overwitering females were mated. confirmation of the species of the scale. One generation per year has been previously The present study took place in reported in northern countries like Germany, Technological Educational Institute of where it overwinters as 2nd instar nymph Kalamata in the frame of the research (Schmutterer 1959). Minor differences on program “ARCHIMIDIS I” financed 75% by the phenology of D. abietis in Greece and the European Social Fund and 25% by Greek Germany could be ascribed to the National Resources - EPEAEK. corresponding environmental differences of the two countries, as well as to the different host species on which the scale was found. References During the examination of the samples from the mountain Taygetos, three Balachowsky, A.S. 1932. Ėtude biologique preovipositing female adults of the scale des coccides du bassin occidental de la 32 ENTOMOLOGIA HELLENICA 17 (2007-2008): 28-33

Mζditerranée. (In French). In: insect (Homoptera: Coccoidea) fauna of Encyclopédie Entomologique, XV P. some national parks, nature reserves in Lechevalier & Fils, Paris. 214pp + Hungary. Folia Entomol. Hung. 65: 55- LXVII. 64. Balachowsky, A.S. 1935. Les cochenilles de Kozstarab, M.and F. Kozár. 1988: Scale l'Espagne. (In French). Revue de insects of central Europe. Akademiai Pathologie vegetale et d' Entomologie Kiadό, Budapest, 456pp. agricole de France 22: 255-269. Pellizzari, G. 1975. Observations on Balachowsky, A.S. 1950. Les cochenilles de Syngenaspis parlatoriae Sulc and on France, d' Europe, du Nord de l' Afrique other scale insects exclusive to . et du Bassin Mζditerranζen. V. - Boll. Zool. Agrar. Bachic. 13: 1-21. monographie des Coccoidea: Diaspidinae Santas, A.L. 1983. Insects producing (deuxiéme partie) Aspidiotini. (In honeydew exploited by bees in Greece. French). Entomologique Applicata Apidologie 14(2): 93-103. Actualitιs Sciences et Industrielles 1087: Santas, A.L. 1991. New species of honeydew 397-557. producing insects in Greece. In Balachowsky, A.S. and B.Alkan. 1956. Sur Proceedings of 3rd Panhellenic un Acanthomytilus Borkh. (Coccoidea- Entomological Congress, Thessaloniki, Diaspidini) nouveau vivant sur cεdre 9-11 Oct., pp. 174-177. dans les montagnes de Turquie. (In Schmutterer, H. 1959. Schildläuse oder French). Bulletin et Annales de la Sociιtι Coccoidea. 1. Deckelschildläuse oder Royale Entomologique de Belgique 92: Diaspididae. In: Die Tierwelt 319-323. Deutschlands und der angrenzenden Ben-Dov, Y. 2006. Scalenet, On internet, Meeresteile. Fischer, Jena, 45: 260 pp. Last updated 04. 12. 2006. Silvestri, F. 1920. Monografia delle http://www.sel.barc.usda.gov/scalenet/scalen Cocciniglie Italiane. Opera Postuma, et.htm Portici, 555pp. Biche, M. and M. Sellami. 1999. Study of Soria, S., M. Moreno, E. Viρuela and P. some possible biological variations in Estal. 2000. Scale insects on Pinus spp. Parlatoria oleae (Colvée) (Hemiptera, in Spain: Principales cochinillas en los Diaspididae). Bull. Soc. Entomol. Fr. pinos espaρoles. (In Spanish; Summary 104(3): 287-292. in English). Boletin de Sanidad Vegetal. Firempong, S. 1982. The performance of Plagas 26(3): 335-348. Planococcoides njalensis (Homoptera: Stathas, G.J. 2001. The scale Nemolecanium Pseudococcidae) on some cocoa graniformis (Wünn) (Homoptera: cultivars. Ann. Appl. Biol. 100: 100-101. Coccidae) in Greece. Anz. Schädlingskd. Koroneos, J. 1934. Les Coccidae de la Grèce 74: 57-59. sur tout du Pélion (Thessalie). I: Diaspinae, Athens, 95pp. KEYWORDS: Dynaspidiotus abietis, Kozár, F., B. Kiss, F. Samu and Z. Konczné Abies cephalonica, Chilocorus Benedicty. 2004. New data to the scale bipustulatus, phenology, Taygetos.

ENTOMOLOGIA HELLENICA 17 (2007-2008): 28-33 33

Σο κοκκοειδές έντομο Dynaspidiotus abietis (Schrank) επί του Abies cephalonica (Pinaceae)

Γ.Ι. ΢ΣΑΘΑ΢

Τετνολογικό Εκπαιδεσηικό Ίδρσμα Καλαμάηας, Στολή Τετνολογίας Γεωπονίας, Τμήμα Φσηικής παραγωγής, Εργαζηήριο Γεωργικής Ενηομολογίας και Ζωολογίας, 24100 Ανηικάλαμος

ΠΕΡΙΛΗΨΗ

Μεθεηήεδηακ ζηοζτεία ηδς οζηοθοβίας ηαζ δίδοκηαζ ηαζ θίβα ιορθοθοβζηά ζηοζτεία ηοσ ηοηηοεζδούς εκηόιοσ Dynaspidiotus abietis (Schrank) (Hemiptera: Diaspididae), ηο οποίο αρέεδηε ζηο όρος Ταΰβεηος ηδς Μεζζδκίας επί ηδς εθάηδς Abies cephalonica (Pinaceae). Είκαζ είδος αιθζβοκζηό ηαζ φοηόηο. Καηά ηδ δζάρηεζα ηδς ιεθέηδς (Ιούκζος 2004 – Αύβοσζηος 2006), δζαπζζηώεδηε όηζ ηο D. abietis ζσιπθδρώκεζ ιζα βεκεά ηο έηος. Δζατεζιάγεζ φς βοκζιοποζδιέκο προ-φοηοηίας εήθσ αηιαίο. Ωοηοηίες παραηδρήεδηακ ηαηά ηοσς ιήκες Μάζο – Ιούθζο. Το ιεβαθύηερο ιέρος ηφκ εηηοθάυεφκ ηφκ ερποσζώκ ηαηαβράθδηε ηαηά ηο ιήκα Ιούκζο. Παραζζηζζιέκα άηοια ηοσ ηοηηοεζδούς ποσ αρέεδηακ ηαηά ηδ δζάρηεζα ηδς ιεθέηδς, αποδόεδηακ ζηδκ παροσζία ηοσ αρπαηηζηού εκηόιοσ Chilocorus bipustulatus (L.) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae).